Donuts
by ComeToMeGarnet
Summary: When Amethyst steals Steven's donuts, she didn't expect anything bad to happen. She expected to be sharing those donuts with Steven at this point, not holding his gem in her hands. (Aka: Steven gets poofed)


The sun was particularly hot in Beach City that day, forcing its citizens to retreat into their homes. Even Major Dewey, who would usually be striding through the streets pompously, had decided to stay inside his signature van in a mini-fridge. The beach that the town had been named after was dry and scarce of any visitors. Not a breeze was heard –all was silent.

"Amethyst – NO!"

"Come and get it!"

"Amethyst! That's mine!"

Amethyst dashed across the sands, leaping over rocks and crabs. Laughing loudly, she waved a paper bag in the air, pausing to look over her shoulder.

"Amethyst!" Steven whined, dashing after her with an outstretched arm. His small legs couldn't manage the strain and he fell face first into the sand. Amethyst laughed louder, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Amfst!" Steven pulled his head out of the sand, spitting out grains. "Amethyst!" He dragged out the end of her name, eyes widening. "Please?"

"Why should I? These donuts are like, really nice dude!" Amethyst grinned. "I ate one earlier!"

"You ate one of my donuts?!" Steven cried out, standing up. He pointed his finger at the purple gem in shock. "You said that Lion ate that one!"

Amethyst didn't answer but laughed again, pulling out another donut out of the paper bag. Steven gasped as it hovered close to her mouth.

"Amethyst no!" Steven tried to reach the snack but the gem leapt out of the way, leaving him to fall over again, legs in the air.

"I'm gonna enjoy this one!" Amethyst sang, slowly lowering it into her mouth. Steven unpeeled his face from the ground once more, standing up unsteadily.

"Nooooo!" Steven sprang upwards and tackled Amethyst to the ground, reaching out for the donut. Amethyst let out a surprised yelp as they tumbled across the beach, shrieking and yelling.

"Mine! Mine! Mine!" Steven shouted, attempting to snatch the bag away. Amethyst resisted and stumbled to her feet, grinning.

"Come on, you're gonna have to –" She was cut off as Steven sprang at her again, pulling her into the sand.

The paper bag flew into the air, soaring higher and further until it sank into the ocean.

Amethyst and Steven watched as it was pulled under the waves, Steven tearing up at the loss. They stood in silence, Amethyst opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

"My snacks…" Steven whispered.

"Aw Man!" Amethyst blew back some of her hair, only for it to cover her eye again. She looked over at a tearful Steven Universe, murmuring apologies under his breath.

Smiling, she patted him on the shoulder.

"Come on! I totally got more cash! We can buy more!" She reassured. Steven faced her, his eyes flashing into stars.

"Really!" He breathed, grinning. He punched the air. "Aw yeah!"

Laughing, he took Amethyst's hand and pulled her across the beach eagerly. Amethyst laughed with him, slinging his over her shoulder.

"Whoa!" Steven cried out before laughing, kicking his legs. "Amethyst - I'm a big boy now! I can walk!"

"Not with those legs, shortie!"

"You're as short as me!"

Amethyst scoffed, beginning to run.

"Yeah, but I'll always be _older _than you, duh!" She said, shaking him. Steven cried out joyfully, giggling.

"Ok – ok you win!" The half-gem admitted in between gaps of laughter breathlessly. "You win!"

"Ha!" Amethyst threw Steven into the air and caught him on her other arm. "See, I'm the ultimate – Whoa!"

Steven, confused by the sudden exclamation, tried to look round but couldn't get a good enough look. He saw a flash of blue, but that was all.

"Amethyst? What's wrong?" He asked, still trying to crane his neck. Amethyst began to step back, unusually quiet.

"Shh…" Amethyst ordered quietly, her voice tight. A few more minutes past and Steven held his breath, keeping still.

"There's a huge gem monster sleeping right here…like crazy huge." Amethyst explained. Steven nodded, switching to "Serious Steven".

"Let's go get Garnet! Or Pearl!" Steven suggested, pointing towards the temple that dominated most of the beach.

"Good idea li'l dude." Amethyst took another step back, unintentionally landing her foot on a stick that, Steven recalled, had been used when he and Connie were practicing sword fighting.

Like gunfire, the snap echoed across the beach. There was a moments silence.

Then, a bellow that shook the grounds descended upon them, and Amethyst began to run.

"Garnet! Pearl!" The purple gem began to yell, dashing up the sands. When she turned, Steven got a good look at the monster that was chasing them.

The first thing he saw was teeth. Long, knife-like teeth hung grotesquely out of its charred lips, dropping with drool. It's eyes were wide and bloodshot, glowing a bright amber, and as it ran, lumpy scales flakes off it like dandruff. Enormous, clawed feet pounded against the ground, spraying sand around it.

Steven, from his upside down view, yelled in panic, kicking his legs.

"It's getting closer!" Steven warned. Amethyst let out a grunt of acknowledgement and, refusing to let go of Steven, ran faster. The creature gave them the chase, flicking out its slimy, black tongue to lash out and pull them apart.

Reflex took over and Steven summoned his shield with a yelp. Tongue collided with crystal and Amethyst was flung forwards, rolling a few metres away. Roaring, the monster sped past Steven, and the half-gem felt his stomach drop as it raised an ugly foot and slammed it down onto Amethyst.

Amethyst stood no chance.

She summoned her whip a few milliseconds too late and, with a loud bang, she was poofed, her gem glistening in the sunlight.

"Amethyst!" Steven yelled, stumbling to his feet. "Amethyst!" The monster roared. "Amethyst!"

Descending on him like a wave, dread filled his senses as he stared at her gem, waiting for a familiar glow. But nothing happened. No glow. No movement.

No Amethyst.

Steven felt himself get thrown back a couple of feet unexpectedly, colliding with the ground for the third time that hour. Groaning, he sat up, squinting in the sunlight.

Snarling, the monster was lashing out wildly with unfocused eyes, swinging its three tails through the air. Rubbing his chest, Steven supposed that was how he must've been hit, because he was worrying too much over Amethyst.

_Amethyst._

"Amethyst!" Steven yelled, voice cracking under the pressure. Amethyst's gem was lying dangerously close to the monster's feet, which were now stamping on everything in sight. Closer and closer they rained, and Steven realised that it would only take one more hit to shatter her – forever gone.

And to think they were joking over donuts this morning.

"Amethyst!" Steven was running again before he even realised, summoning his shield as he did so. With a grunt, he through his weapon over to the monster; it collided with a chipped horn.

Swinging it's neck around, the creature roared at him, momentarily distracted.

"Hey! Mean Monster!" Steven shouted, catching his shield as it flew back to him. The monster bellowed in response. "Stay away from Amethyst!"

The monster charged but Steven was quicker; he slid under the beast and avoided its gnashing teeth. Crawling, he reached Amethyst's gem and held it close shakily.

"Amethyst please! You gotta help me!" Behind him, the monster turned, feet pounding against the sands as it moved towards its prey.

"Come on, Amethyst! You're usually awake by now!" Steven blinked back tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. "Wake up!"

A roar close to his ear made him look up. The monster was upon him, raising another twisted foot above his head.

"Amethyst!" Steven cried out one last time, placing a bubble around them both. It didn't stop anything.

The bubble burst.

A hot, white pain was the last thing Steven was aware of, but he refused to let go of the gem in his arms.

He was holding her until he knew no more.

—

A purple flash coated the beach as Amethyst's gem rose to in the air slowly. With a final burst of light, Amethyst reformed, stretching her limbs.

"Wha?" She muttered. Just a few minutes ago there had been a corrupted gem on their tails, and now? The beach was barren, unless you counted seagulls – no monster, no donuts, and no Steven. Rotating in a circle she assessed her surroundings.

No monster.

No donuts.

No Steven.

"Err…Steven?" Amethyst called, stepping backwards. "Steven, this isn't funny anymore! Come on –"

Something collided with her foot and curiously she glanced down, expecting to find a small rock, or a stick (again). But it wasn't either.

A pink gem lay glistening in the sand, half buried. The surface was slightly scratched.

Amethyst let out a chocked gasp, dropping to her knees. In all her dreams – her nightmares – never had she thought that –

"Steven!" Amethyst screamed, scooping up the gem. It felt cold and heavy in her hands. "Steven!"

Steven had never been poofed before. It had always been her, maybe Pearl or rarely Garnet that got hurt. Steven wasn't meant to.

Amethyst recalled back to the first time when she got poofed. She had been confused mainly, but Steven? Steven would be scared, she was sure of it.

"Steven, I got you, don't worry." Breathing heavily, Amethyst cupped the gem in her hands, pressing it close to her chest. "See? It's me, Amethyst. I'm okay, and you will be too!" Blinking rapidly, she stood up, hugging the gem tighter. There she began the trek back to the temple.

"I know you might be a little cold right now, but I'm gonna fix that, don't worry." Amethyst continued to talk to Steven's gem as she walked. She moved some of her hair and tucked it under the gem to make it comfier for him.

"I'm right here." She was halfway there. "So don't panic. All you gotta do is relax, you see! You can take all the time you need, and I'll be waiting, just you wait. With a big bag of donuts – the biggest one you ever saw!" Her voice cracked and a tear dropped down from her cheek and onto the gem. "And I won't eat any…okay, I'll eat one or two, but that will be nothing compared to the amount I'm gonna buy you!"

She hadn't even realised she reached the temple steps until she almost tripped over them, wobbling dangerously.

"Look! We're back now! Pearl and Garnet are gonna be with you real soon buddy." Amethyst whispered. She gently pushed open the door.

Pearl was humming in the kitchen as she cleaned, occasionally dancing to her own tune. Garnet was opposite, reading a book in her favourite arm chair, letting out a relaxed sigh.

As Amethyst entered, Pearl paused in mid step, smiling.

"I see your back early – Amethyst!" She cried out. Amethyst had dropped to her knees, shaking as she clutched the gem harder. Garnet looked up from her book and stood up abruptly, taking off her glasses.

"Amethyst?" She moved closer, bending over the purple gem's hunched form. Pearl crouched next to her, trying to see what lay in her arms.

"Amethyst – what is it?" Pearl questioned. Amethyst tried to choke out an explanation, but she couldn't get the words out. What would they think of her now? She hadn't been able to protect him – something she promised…and now he was gone. Her stomach churned as her thoughts continued to run.

_What if he doesn't reform?_

"Amethyst, you need to calm down." Garnet instructed, crouching beside Pearl. Amethyst shook her head, curling in on herself.

"S-Steven…" she managed to utter. The gem dug into her chest. "H-He…"

"Steven?" Pearl's voice grew higher. "What happened to Steven?! Amethyst – "

Amethyst thrust the gem she had carefully protected in front of her, trembling.

Garnet and Pearl gasped and Amethyst closed her eyes, feeling hot tears leak through them.

"H-He…He poofed." She whispered. The gem felt like it was growing colder in her hands. "I poofed a-and when I reformed –"

Someone took the gem from her gently, and a set of hands pushed her into a more comfortable position. Amethyst looked up to find Garnet looking at her piercingly with all three of her eyes.

"You did your best. That's what counts." Garnet sat down next to her, patting her shoulder. "I couldn't even predict that happenin'."

"You couldn't?"

"It was so small, I never…" the fusion didn't finish her sentence, instead choosing to watch Pearl as she cradled Steven's gem.

"Steven's too spontaneous for his own good sometimes." Pearl whispered, looking down at the gem.

"You can say that again…" Amethyst sighed, wiping her tears.

"Come on, Gems." Garnet stood up, placing on her shades again. "We gotta get Steven comfy – I know we like to feel nice an' warm when we reform."

Amethyst and Pearl stood up next to her, Pearl stroking the gem.

"I like to be in a familiar surrounding when I do." Pearl added. Amethyst nodded.

"With people I know around me…so, y'know…" Amethyst blushed slightly. "So I don't panic."

"Let's go, Gems!" Garnet lead the group upstairs where Pearl gently lowered the gem onto Steven's bed. Amethyst moved forward and tucked the sheet around it. The three gems watched in silence for a few moments eyes softening at the sight.

"That's better." Pearl nodded approvingly. "I remember when I poofed and Steven –" she cut off, biting her lip. Even mentioning Steven's name caused a shiver of worry in Amethyst, and she was sure the other gems felt the same.

Garnet moved first, grabbing the lamp from the bedside table and shining it onto the pink gem, positioning it so it would shed the most light.

"There." The fusion nodded at her own handiwork and sat on the edge of the bed. Amethyst sat on the floor and Pearl sat on a chair.

And so the waiting began.

Not one gem moved. Nothing in the universe could move them at that moment. The sky darkened into night as the gems sat their vigil, not once shifting from their seats. Dawn broke and nothing had happened apart from a few broken conversations to the poofed gem; Amethyst updated him on what was going on in crying breakfast friends, Garnet would tell him a story about one of her missions and Pearl would tell him about a new Beach City concert that he would "really like - it's got singing and dancing and that strange white-haired boy will be providing those glow-stick things!"

Days passed. Greg visited. Connie visited.

The gems did not move.

"Come on dude, your almost rivalling Pearl on time taken!" Amethyst teased, though the humour didn't reach her eyes.

"Amethyst, we have been through this before – time is perfection, and perfection is what any gem needs. Don't worry Steven, it's okay to take your time." Pearl answered, only looking at the gem on the bed.

"Though it would be nice for you to come out soon." Garnet added softly. She had taken her shades off a few hours ago, wanting a break from them for a while.

Silence returned.

Then, a burst of pink light flooded the room, making all three gems shield their eyes. Blinking in the sudden brightness, they watched as Steven's gem was lifted in the air and rotated slowly, glowing brighter and brighter. The shape morphed into a circle, and then a shape of a boy.

"Steven!"

The light faded, leaving Steven floating in the air for a few moments before he fell, bouncing onto his bed.

"Steven!" The three gems cried out again, surging towards him.

Steven was wearing different clothes to what he usually had: instead on his signature flip-flops he was wearing pink boots, and a pink jacket to match. He wasn't harmed or deformed in any way, like the gems had been worrying about – on the contrary, he looked better than he ever had.

Steven sat up, looking up at all three gems and their relieved faces. He gave them a small smile. In sync, the gems scooped him into a hug, laughing and ruffling his hair. Steven laughed, returning the hug with huge gusto.

"Guys!" Steven laughed, squashed in the middle. "I missed you!"

"Not as much as we missed you, li'l man." Garnet replied, planting a kiss on his forehead. They broke apart slowly, three gems beaming down at their boy.

"Are you guys okay?" Steven asked, watching as they began to cry – Pearl more hysterically than others.

"Don't ever do that again, okay?" Amethyst demanded, wiping her eyes. "I thought –"

"I'm fine, see!" Steven, to prove his point, wiggled his limbs triumphantly. "You guys! It was so cool! I –"

Suddenly, Garnet put a finger to his lips, giving him a small smile. Steven let out a small "huh?" of confusion.

"Whatever happened inside your gem is for you alone to know." The fusion explained.

"It's a personal part of ourselves, something we treasure within us." Pearl continued, sitting closer to him. She pressed the area above his heart gently. "Your secret."

"Aw…guys!" Steven pulled the three gems into a hug that they gladly returned, relishing the warmth spreading through them all. Steven laughed, hugging them harder.

"Thanks for staying with me."


End file.
